Space Shuttle Discovery successfully lifts off on mission STS-128.

The space shuttle Discovery lifts off from launch pad 39-A on August 28, 2009 at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. After three delays Discovery is now on its way on a 13-day mission to the International Space Station with seven astronauts aboard including a Swede from the European Space Agency. The launch, if it goes ahead, would be NASA's fourth scheduled attempt after liftoff was delayed Thursday and Wednesday, and thunderstorms led NASA officials to scrub the first bid early Tuesday.



The space shuttle Discovery lifts off on a mission to the International Space Station from the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida August 28, 2009.



The space shuttle Discovery lifts off on Mission STS-128 to the International Space Station from launch pad 39A at the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida August 28, 2009.


The space shuttle Discovery lifts off from launch pad 39-A on August 28, 2009 at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. After three delays Discovery is now on its way on a 13-day mission to the International Space Station with seven astronauts aboard including a Swede from the European Space Agency. The launch, if it goes ahead, would be NASA's fourth scheduled attempt after liftoff was delayed Thursday and Wednesday, and thunderstorms led NASA officials to scrub the first bid early Tuesday.



The space shuttle Discovery lifts off from launch pad 39-A on August 28, 2009 at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. After three delays Discovery is now on its way on a 13-day mission to the International Space Station with seven astronauts aboard including a Swede from the European Space Agency. The launch, if it goes ahead, would be NASA's fourth scheduled attempt after liftoff was delayed Thursday and Wednesday, and thunderstorms led NASA officials to scrub the first bid early Tuesday.






Saturday, August 29, 2009

Launch of Space Shuttle Discovery.
Image: NASA.Space Shuttle Discovery has successfully launched from Kennedy Space center in Florida on mission STS-128. Discovery took off at 11:59 p.m. (EDT) for a 13-day mission to the International Space Station (ISS).

The shuttle's payload consists of a Multi-Purpose Logistics Module or 'Leonardo' and a Lightweight Multi-Purpose Experiment Support Structure Carrier. The treadmill named for comedian Stephen Colbert also is aboard Discovery. Colbert had previously won a contest to have one of the modules named after him, but officials at NASA decided on the name Tranquility.

"Space Shuttle Discovery completed a flawless ascent into orbit Friday night to begin a two-day chase of the International Space Station," said NASA in a statement on their website.

After flying up on Discovery, astronaut Nicole Stott will trade places with station resident Tim Kopra, who went into space last month aboard Space Shuttle Endeavour.


source: en.wikinews.org
credit photo : Reuters Pictures, Getty Images.